Indiana State University Newsroom

The Indiana State University Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC) has received the highest level of certification from Indiana's Paths to Quality program with a Level 4 distinction.

Paths to QUALITY is Indiana's quality rating and improvement system for child care programs. The statewide initiative applies a set of standards to help parents identify licensed family child care centers that have met state requirements for health and safety.

The program is designed to assess the quality of licensed child care centers through a four level scale. Each level has specific criteria that the program must meet to have that quality level awarded to them, with Level 4 being the highest honor.

Center Director Gail Gottschling thinks that the distinction, "Allows us to join other leaders in the area of Early Childhood Education as a model of what all programs can strive for. We want to set an example for our ISU teachers in training to follow."

ISU's Early Childhood Education Center has professional childhood programs designed for infants, toddlers as well as two to five-year-olds. The program is licensed to care for 70 children of ISU Students, faculty, staff as well as other community members.

It also provides an exemplary child care program for academic research and training. The Center has been accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. It has an ongoing affiliation with the Bayh College of Education at Indiana State University, and works in conjunction with the Department of Elementary, Early and Special Education.